An innovative posture monitoring system that communicates with workers via smartwatches, in full respect of privacy, was designed and tested: the results of the research were published in the journal Computers in Industry.
Correcting bad postures at work in real time, via smartwatches, all in full respect of privacy and confidentiality. This is the goal of an innovative system based on artificial intelligence designed and tested by the University of Pisa. The results of the research, coordinated by Francesco Pistolesi, researcher at the Department of Information Engineering, were published in the journal Computers in Industry.
“The fatigue and repetitiveness of various work tasks often lead operators to assume inappropriate postures because they are perhaps momentarily perceived as comfortable — explains Pistolesi — but in the medium and long term, this causes stress to the musculoskeletal system; statistics tell us that, throughout the world, more than one in four workers suffers from back pain, with consequent suffering and the loss of over 264 million working days every year”.
The University of Pisa device was tested by involving operators while performing various standardized tasks (screwdriving, welding, and assembly). The system consists of an AI-based unit that continuously receives data from a smartwatch and a LiDAR sensor — an advanced technology that uses laser pulses to measure distances and create maps of the environment. During the tests, the system monitored the positions of the arm, shoulder, trunk, and legs, acquiring data that are not able to reveal sensitive information about the worker.
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The AI identified postures with an average accuracy of over 98%, also detecting deviations from the limb positions recommended by the UNI ISO 11226 standard (Ergonomics — Evaluation of static working postures). This standard provides recommendations for the health risk assessment of the active adult population, derived from experimental studies on musculoskeletal load, discomfort/pain, and resistance/fatigue associated with work postures.
“The new paradigm of Industry 5.0 uses artificial intelligence (AI) by putting the human being at the center — Pistolesi emphasizes — technology does not replace us, but helps us. In other words, it is about thinking about devices, like the one we have designed, that put the well-being and rights of workers at the forefront, in particular privacy, which technologies based on video analysis can put at risk. Think for example of cyber attacks that take possession of images of sensitive body parts of workers, used to detect posture. The data recorded by our system, however, even if stolen, cannot be traced back to any information that violates the confidentiality of a company's employees. This makes workers feel more protected and considered, increasing both well-being and productivity. This is why in the years to come it will be increasingly important to design systems inspired by human-oriented artificial intelligence, the so-called human-centered AI”.
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Together with Francesco Pistolesi, Michele Baldassini, research fellow at the Department of Information Engineering, and Beatrice Lazzerini, full professor at the same department for over twenty years, and currently holder of a free research contract, collaborated on the research.
